Elgin's Enigma ✔

Part 42

EXT. ABANDONNED CHURCH – NIGHT

VANESSA is tending to the fire while LUCY and GINA are taking refuge in the warmth. Vanessa takes some bread from her bag and takes an aggressive bite. Lucy and Gina look worn out while Vanessa looks frustrated. There are three lanterns on the ground, three bags, and one caged crow that's sleeping soundly.

LUCY CONT'D: There hasn't been anymore clues.

GINA: Yeah, it really sucks.

VANESSA: We haven't checked out the church yet. We can probably find what the key is for there.

LUCY: Yeah but the goddamn key has been used in almost every lock in the city!

GINA: I really thought it would be for something in the Curio Shop.

VANESSA: That's why we need to check the church.

LUCY: Might as well since no where else worked.

GINA: Do we really have to do it? Like can't we just quit?

VANESSA: Don't you want to figure out everything though? Like Goat Man and Ambrose and why we're here.

LUCY: Maybe we're here for a reason. Like they're trying to lead us to something.

VANESSA (excited): Yeah! Maybe the key is to put the world back together again.

GINA: I don't think a key can do that.

VANESSA: And yet a magic Goat Man that gives us tattoos is possible.

GINA: I have big ideas but not that big.

VANESSA: Maybe it's like a series of steps.

LUCY: Like a bunch of tasks heroes have to do?

GINA: Ooo, a hero's journey. Maybe we'll learn something about ourselves along the way.

VANESSA: That's the spirit!

LUCY: You got your copies of the codex?

GINA: Yep.

VANESSA: Of course.

Vanessa shoves the rest of the bread into her mouth and wipes her hands on her dress. Gina looks at the fire in sadness and Lucy stands up eagerly.

VANESSA: Let's get going, the fire is dying, and we can't stick around for too long.

The three girls pack up their things and each pick up their respective lantern. Vanessa picks up the bird cage with the sleeping crow and they all begin to travel to the abandoned church.

They arrive to the decaying building. Vanessa places the caged crow outside the door and the crow squawks. Vanessa hushes the bird before returning to the task at hand.

GINA CONT'D: Ready?

LUCY: I guess.

VANESSA: Bring it.

They enter the dark building and are greeted by the creaking of the floorboards. They start looking around and Lucy observes the items. Dust and cobwebs cover the little wooden plaques and have writing in a language they don't understand.

VANESSA CONT'D: Rividism is a really strange religion.

LUCY: Is it similar to Christianity? Buddhism? Islam? Judaism?

GINA: Who knows.

Lucy wanders closer to the alter and squints her eyes at it. She slowly brings up the lantern to see better and she sees the face of the statue in it. She gives a gasp and blinks, but the face is gone. Unsettled and confused, she walks closer to the alter only to suddenly stop. She feels the ground have a slight slip and she looks down.

LUCY: Guys...

VANESSA: Yeah?

LUCY: Are cultish circles a thing for Rividism?

Red lines paint the floor in a messy manner and there is a spot in the middle where it disrupts the lines. It looks like something had exploded in the circle in order to destroy something. Vanessa sees the floor and becomes excited.

VANESSA CONT'D: We need to record this. Like now.

GINA: Wait. It's already been recorded.

VANESSA: It has?

GINA: It's in the church section. I've already visited here before.

LUCY: Ah, I didn't know...

VANESSA (disappointed): What? I already started writing!

GINA: Just erase it, we don't need repetition. There's also a door trap. The circle covers it but we couldn't get it open.

VANESSA: So what I just did was useless?

GINA: I mean it would've been useful if this place wasn't explored already.

VANESSA: Oh...

LUCY: You said the trap door was locked, right? Maybe we can try unlocking it with Vanessa's key.

GINA: Oh! We could!

Vanessa takes off her necklace where she keeps the key and crouched down to the ground. She slipped the key into the lock and nothing happens.

VANESSA CONT'D: It's not working.

GINA: Really? Let me see.

Gina touches Vanessa's shoulder but before Vanessa lets go of the key, a bright yellow light emerges from the door. The light dies down and it slowly opens to reveal nothing. Vanessa yanks the key out from the key hole and puts it back on.

LUCY CONT'D: What the hell?

GINA: That was useless.

Vanessa shoulders slump but they straighten again suddenly. Vanessa's eyes are fixed on Gina and Gina stares back in confusion.

VANESSA CONT'D: Wait, Gina. Your mark. It's different now.

Gina looks down at her mark to see it was now a goat with horns.

GINA: What in the...

The church begins to rumble, and a plank falls behind the girls. Gina gives a small shriek of surprise and Lucy is petrified. Vanessa takes the two by the arms and they all begin to run.

VANESSA CONT'D: Go! Run! Just go!

They all exit the building and it caves in on itself. It was now unrecognizable as it had become a pile of wood.

VANESSA CONT'D: This seems like a good time to release the bird.

LUCY: Yep, we just destroyed a lot of property.

GINA: Why did it collapse when we used the key though?

Vanessa lets out the bird and it flies away into the night sky.

LUCY CONT'D: I have no idea.